The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-07-29

the VIA Lorenzini. AT last The yeEiier
of lamps returned and with despera-
ton. Old Marco, who was OF an
''obstinacy most Incredible refused
to believe that ilustrious ones were
waiting. but required that they should
come within his own.courtyard. where,
| he could see them, before he would
descend and unbar the door. This
obstinacy made the vender of lamps
desire TO live no longer, such was his
shame In the presence OF their nobili-
ties. But their nobilities alighted and
followed him through his shop into the
courtyard, whore looking up, they saw
dim face behind the glass gazing
down from one of the upper windows;
It disappeared and presently lower
door opened and an old man looked
out. The yender Of lamps few at him
with a torrent of Italian. But old
Marco, holding the door open but a
little way, admitted first Lucy, then
myself and then closed it in the face
Of the yender and pushed the great
bolt the massive portal was so thick
that we could not hear the torrent of
vowels which was no doubt suroing
We found ourselves in vaulted hall
and Ia spite of the summer heat the dus.
Ky air was here so cool that felt myself
slightly shivering. In dull, lifeless
voice, the old keeper was asking our
pleasure. ! explained A light came
suddenly into his eyes under their
heavy, creased wrinkled lids, he
Strengthened himself and even his
voice changed and grew strong. Yes,
the art treasures were all there; their
excellence should see them If they
would have the affability to follow.
They had the affability but not the
breath. The keeper, old as he was,
went up the broad stone stairway so
rapidly that excellence was left behind
obliged to come more slowly. The old
! palace was built after the usual Floren-
tine fashion. Below had been the
servants offices; next came com
paratively low half-storY and then
above began the stretch Of vast apart
ments with lofty ceilings and marble
/ floors, which whether furnished or un-
| furnished, are unlike the American
home. The Florentine idea was cool
ness and dusky open space; the rich
ness, # there was any, came from the
old pictures on the walls the statue in
the niche, and the wide-mouthed
jars filled with flowers on the floor
and from what we call "furniture."
But here there was nothing not even
the jars; the walls and floors of the
stately rooms were bare as we followed
him; but could never reach him. He
kept always in advance. His manner,
too, was peculiar; as he entered each
room he waved his hand slowly, first
to the right, then to he left as if to
call our attention to something. But
there was nothing to be seen. We con-
stantly expected TO come upon an old,
shadowed picture, but the walls re-
manned quite bare. At the end Of the
long suit he went into the hall and
began to ascend second stately stair
way leading to the upper story.
:.Shall we followg'S said Lucy.
Perhaps there is something above, y
/ answered But we found only an
other procession of rooms like those be-
low, equally large, dusky and lofty, and
equally bare. The keeper still in ad-
vance waving his hand in the same
slow way.
Lucy ran after him. eBut the pict-
uresp" she said in Italian; where are
theyP"
docs their graciousness not observe
themp They are everywhere, he
grayely answered.
Lucy came back to me startled.
Shall we ge any fartherp she wins wtlis-
pered.
.'Oh, yes, said Even if his
mind is somewhat weakened, as it
seems to be, he is probably quite harm
less. There may still be something
and / confess / am curious.
When he had at last gone through all
these rooms the keeper turned down a
corridor leading around the court; from
it opened smaller rooms, all empty.
At the end of the corridor he unlocked
door and stood waiting.
This, he said, 'fs the family
chapel Here, as their illustriousness
will observe, is our only fresco; our
others are all paintings in oil. /"
The chapel was small. the smallest
room we had seen; it was OF peculiar
shape, the rounding arch Of the ceiling
beginning not at the top of the walls
but at the floor. It was quite bare,
save Tor small stone altar; and as the
colored glass of the window above had
been replaced by coarse white panes,
d food Of clear golden light came in,
very different from the somber gloom
below.
.-Oh, how lovely!' cried Lucy, for
getting all about the old keepers
sinCularities in sudden outburSt Of
enthusiasm. / echoed her cry. For
there, on the back wall which faced
the altar, there cleaned out an angel
so beautiful that it seemed to me then.
as in recollection ii seems TO me now,
81 .....at 49, x,o,,lxy xr;ofS1n t,,,o,, xvf,inh